1. Field of the Present Invention
The present invention relates generally to container security and, more particularly, to a container security system in which containers are equipped with indicator systems that alert inspectors to containers that have been compromised.
2. Background of the Invention
Containerized shipping is a critical component of international trade. About 90% of the world's trade is transported in cargo containers and almost half of incoming U.S. trade (by value) arrives by containers onboard ships. More than seven million cargo containers arrive on ships and are offloaded at U.S. seaports each year. As terrorist organizations have increasingly turned to destroying economic infrastructure to make an impact on nations, the vulnerability of international shipping has come under scrutiny.
The Container Security Initiative (CSI) was launched in 2002 by the U.S. Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP), an agency of the Department of Homeland Security. Under the CSI program, the screening of containers that pose a risk for terrorism is accomplished by teams of CBP officials deployed to work in concert with their host nation counterparts. Its purpose was to increase security for container cargo shipped to the United States. As the CBP puts it, the intent is to “extend the zone of security outward so that American borders are the last line of defense, not the first.” The CSI consists of four core elements which include: using intelligence and automated information to identify and target containers that pose a risk for terrorism; pre-screening those containers that pose a risk at the port of departure before they arrive at U.S. ports; using detection technology to quickly pre-screen containers that pose a risk; and using smarter, tamper-evident containers.